Biography
Karla Tankut learned early on that winning isn’t always the point—getting better is. As a first-year law student, she took second place in a criminal law mock trial and excitedly called her dad. His response? “Don’t worry—you’ll do better next time.” That mindset stuck.
Fast forward, and Karla has done more than “better.” She’s a seasoned trial attorney who knows her way around a courtroom and isn’t afraid of rough waters. She rejoined Grand Law Attorneys in 2026 after serving as Chief Public Defender in Van Buren County, where she led from the front and built a reputation for steady, strategic advocacy when the stakes were high.
Before Michigan, Karla founded her own firm in Oklahoma City and served two terms as a special judge—one of the youngest appointed in the state. Earlier in her career, she cut her teeth as a trial attorney with the Oklahoma Indigent Defense System. She even won her first jury trial within 24 hours of being sworn in (though she had to hustle straight from the ceremony to the courtroom to make it happen). We are pretty sure her dad was proud.
Karla’s work has earned national recognition, including a Top 10 Under 40 honor from the National Academy of Criminal Defense Attorneys, along with being featured as a WOOD TV “Remarkable Woman.”
She holds a law degree from the University of Tulsa and a business degree from Oklahoma State. She’s licensed in Michigan and Oklahoma.
When the current picks up and things start to feel sink-or-swim, Karla is exactly who you want in your corner—calm, prepared, and ready to help you navigate what’s next. Just ask her dad.